Flora

Atractylis carduus (Forssk.) C.Chr., it is a perennial, up to (5-) 10-20 (-30) cm long, caulescent, arachnoid or glabrescent, branched from the base, ascending or diffuse. Leaves coriaceous, spiny margined, linear lanceolate in outline. Basal and lowermost cauline leaves 20-50 x 5-10 mm, pinnatifid, usually withering at the time of flowering. Cauline leaves 30-40 x 4-8 mm, 1 or sub-2-pinnalisect; primary lobes narrowly triangular often with 1or 2 lateral spines; apex of the lobe spiny; spine 1-2.5 mm long, yellowish or somewhat reddish-brown. Capitula radiate, yellow, terminal at the ends of branches. Involucre broadly ovate to ± oblong. 15-20 (-25) mm long and up to 20 mm in dim, (exclud. outermost erect patent, leafy, supplementary involucral bracts). Supplementary bracts ± 2 rowed, (15-) 30-40 (-50) x 4-10 mm, similar to the upper cauline Leave. Involucre bract of the 1st row c. 5 x5 mm, semi-orbicular, densely woolly-hairy on the back, tapered above into a 2-3 mm long dark brown mucro; margin broadly scarious. Subsequent involucral bracts 7-22 x 6-8 (-10) mm, broadly ovate, widely scarious margined, abruptly mucronate (mucr 02.5-3.5 mm), densely woolly hairy in the distal part below the mucro forming a characteristic triangular area boarded with pale brown or light violet line. Innermost involucral bract oblanceolate, 15 x 3 mm, broadly scarious margined, terminate into a 2-3 mm mucro, hairy below the mucro with a characteristic triangular spot bordered with dark brown or light violet line. Ligules up to 30 mm long yellow, functionally male; corolla of the disc flt. up to 20 mm long. Cypsela up to 8 mm., silky hairy ± oblong; pappus setae up to 15 mm long, connate in a ring at the base.

Al-Jafarah Plain:

Wadi El-Attal 1975  El-Zawia 2015  Sabratha 2019  Sabratha region 2020

Zliten-Misurata Plain:

Zliten (Wadi EL-Zekr) 2022

Sirte Plains:

Tawargha 1975

Benghazi Plain:

Reported from Benghazi, Agdabia by Durand & Barratte and Pampanini   Slouk-Msus road 2000   Ajdabia (Al-Jaledia) 2017

Jabal Nafusa:

Reported from Kussbat, Gharian by Durand & Barratte and Pampanini  Wadi Kaam 2017  Msallata-Garaboulli Province 2020   Gharyan (Sedrores Mountains) 2020  Wadi Kaam (Dam & lake, Main course, Headwaters) 2022

Al-Jabal Al-Akhder:

Reported from Marsa Susa by Durand & Barratte and Pampanini

Marmarica Plateau:

Reported from Tobruk by Durand & Barratte and Pampanini

Ghadames area:

Reported from Ghadames by Durand & Barratte and Pampanini

Wild in Libya,  a species of sandy places and sand dunes.

Link of images:  https://www.floraofqatar.com/atractylis_carduus.htm,  https://flora.org.il/en/plants/ATRCAR/

https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:182908-1,  https://www.ipni.org/n/182908-1,    http://www.worldfloraonline.org/taxon/wfo-0000102333,  https://www.gbif.org/species/5398263,  https://africanplantdatabase.ch/en/nomen/specie/136085/atractylis-carduus-forssk-christ,   https://www.teline.fr/en/photos/asteraceae/atractylis-carduus,    https://www.ksanature.com/plants/atractylis_carduus/,    https://www.floraofqatar.com/atractylis_carduus.htm,   https://www.floramaroccana.fr/a.-carduus.html,    https://flora.org.il/en/plants/ATRCAR/